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Objective: Investigation of the anterior and posterior ethmoidal arteries on computed tomography (CT) scans of the sinuses before and during surgery is important, especially for inexperienced surgeons. The aim of this study was to examine the anatomical characteristics of the posterior ethmoid artery in Vietnamese and the distance from the posterior ethmoid artery to the anterior ethmoid artery and the skull base on CT scan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving patients aged =18 years who underwent CT scan imaging at the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City from February 2023 to July 2023. Results: There were 100 patients in this study, of whom 51% (51/100) were female and 49% (49/100) were male. Patient ages ranged from 20 to 84 years. Their average age was 40.92±14.65 years. The distance on CT scan between the posterior and anterior ethmoidal arteries was 13.98±1.95 mm (9.3 to 18.6 mm). This distance in males was significantly higher than female (p=0.001). However, there is no difference in this distance between the left and right side (p=0.67). The distance between the posterior ethmoid artery and skull base ranged from 0 to 5.4 mm. The average distance between the posterior ethmoidal artery and skull base on CT scan was 0.95±0.94 mm. The diameter of the posterior ethmoid artery was 0.57-0.91 mm. The average diameter of the posterior ethmoidal artery on CT scan was 0.76±0.09 mm. Conclusion: The characteristics of the posterior ethmoid artery should be considered when examining the CT scan. Distance from the posterior ethmoid This study provides useful information on the characteristics of the posterior ethmoid artery on CT scans, which can be applied in endoscopic sinus surgery and skull base surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosolized microorganisms have become an important factor in assessing air quality. To determine the characteristics of bacterial bioaerosols in air and rainwater, as well as calculate the recovery rate of bacteria after rains in Ho Chi Minh City, our study was performed using the SKC Biostage sampler for airborne bacteria and Plate Count Agar (PCA) medium for bacterial concentration. Subsequently, the study determined the bacterial community composition at the phylum and order levels using the 16S rRNA (16S metabarcoding) method. Before the rain, bacterial concentrations in the air ranged from 263.39 ± 21.00 to 277.39 ± 78.99 CFU/m3, and in rainwater 264.89 ± 51.17 to 285.72 ± 28.00 CFU/m3. Following rains, the bacterial concentrations decreased to their lowest levels within the first 1–2 h and gradually increased thereafter, reaching their peak after 9 h for heavy rain and after 12 h for light and moderate rains. The bacterial bioaerosols recovery rate was determined to be 100% for light and moderate rains and 94.6% for heavy rain. The change in bacterial concentration after rainfall showed a positive correlation with temperature (r = 0.85) and CO2 concentration (r = 0.70) and a negative correlation with relative humidity (r = − 0.79). Bacterial composition analysis revealed that the Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria phyla were dominant and characteristic of the humid tropical climate in Vietnam. Notably, Firmicutes were the most prevalent phylum both before and after rains. The increased prevalence of certain bacterial orders, particularly Staphylococcus, could contribute to the spread of pathogens, particularly foodborne pathogens. In addition to rain, relative humidity contributed to reducing bacterial bioaerosols concentration and their recovery rate after the rain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with twin pregnancy following day 3 double embryo transfer (DET). Methods: This retrospective cohort study incorporated data from 16,972 day 3 DET cycles. The participants were women aged between 18 and 45 years who underwent in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) at My Duc Assisted Reproduction Technique Unit (IVFMD), My Duc Hospital, located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Results: Of the 16,972 day 3 DET cycles investigated, 8,812 (51.9%) resulted in pregnancy. Of these, 6,108 cycles led to clinical pregnancy, with 1,543 (25.3% of clinical pregnancies) being twin pregnancies. Factors associated with twin pregnancy included age under 35 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32 to 1.71; p<0.001) and cycles involving the transfer of at least one grade I embryo. Relative to the transfer of two grade III embryos, the risk of twin pregnancy was significantly elevated following the transfer of two grade I embryos (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.69; p<0.001) or a combination of one grade I and one grade II embryo (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.55; p=0.001). Conclusion: By analyzing a large number of IVF/ICSI cycles, we identified several predictors of twin pregnancy. These findings can assist medical professionals in tailoring treatment strategies for couples with infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a competitive market, enterprises should strive to offer excellent services and products while implementing robust environmental policies that not only attract customers but also foster loyalty. This study is intended to fill a gap in brand dimensions (including brand identity, brand awareness, brand love and brand loyalty) through the role of perceived environmental responsibility and the effect of perceived social responsibility to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. A questionnaire was given to people who used milk products in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to obtain customer perceptions. To test the model, 537 data samples were chosen. This study explores the role of the brand dimension on perceived social responsibility toward customer satisfaction. The results indicate that customers’ perceptions of an enterprise’s social responsibility positively influence customer satisfaction. Perceived environmental responsibility insignificantly influences customer loyalty but significantly affects customer satisfaction. Our findings imply the importance of milk enterprises engaging in environmental and social responsibility activities with brand building and implementing appropriate strategies and policies regarding their impact on the environment and communities to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This empirical study aims to identify and evaluate the crucial factors that influence customer satisfaction and their intention to reuse a food ordering app (FOA) in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. A data sample of 413 observations from customers who used the FOA was used to test hypotheses using a quantitative technique and a structural linear model. The results indicated that among the four key factors, performance expectancy, price value, and online reviews had direct and indirect effects on customers' continued intention to use the FOA. By contrast, hedonic motivation only had an indirect effect. Satisfaction level was the mediating factor that affected customers' continuance intention. This study provided insights into the online service and how the key factors affected customers' satisfaction level towards the intention to reuse the FOA. When the management of the online providing service improves the key factors - performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, price value, and online reviews - they will improve the level of satisfaction towards the intention to reuse the FOA of customers in HCMC. The management of food companies should refer to this research model for restructuring and improving their business to satisfy the needs and wants of their target customers in the competitive market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed at assessing radiation hazards associated with natural radioactivity in common building materials used in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Thirty-six samples from eighteen types of building materials were collected to measure activity concentrations using the gross alpha/beta counting system and gamma-ray spectrometry. The gross alpha and gross beta activity concentrations ranged from 94.7 ± 31.3 to 1045.1 ± 112.3 Bqkg-1 and 104.9 ± 4.7 to 834.4 ± 37.1 Bqkg-1, respectively. In addition, the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were also determined, which ranged from 4.1 ± 0.1 to 53.5 ± 0.4 Bqkg-1, 5.7 ± 0.1 to 83.6 ± 0.8 Bqkg-1, and 14.9 ± 0.8 to 664.9 ± 10.6 Bqkg-1, respectively. The indices including radium equivalent activity, external and internal radiation hazard, gamma and alpha indices, activity utilization index, and annual effective dose, were calculated to evaluate the radiological hazards of natural radioactivity. The results showed that these indices were below the recommended safety limits for most investigated samples except six brick samples, whose activity utilization indexes are slightly higher than the safety limit. Even so, all annual effective doses of the samples were found to be below the world average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant caused a large number of COVID-19 cases in many countries, including Vietnam. Understanding mortality risk factors is crucial for the clinical management of severe COVID-19. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study at an intensive care center in Ho Chi Minh City that urgently built by Bach Mai Hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak in Vietnam, when the Delta variant predominated. Participants were laboratory-confirmed patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, admitted in August 2021. Data on patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, radiographic and laboratory findings, treatment, and clinical time course were compared between survivors and non-survivors. Risk factors to mortality were assessed using logistic regression. Results: Among 504 eligible COVID-19 patients, case fatality was 52.2%. Unvaccinated patients accounted for 61.2% of non-survivors and 43.6% of survivors (p < 0.001). The time from onset to hospital admission was 8 days in non-survivors and 7 days in survivors (p = 0.004). Among non-survivors, 90.2% developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Oxygen therapy was administered for all patients, but antiviral agent was given to 51.7% of non-survivors. 54.2% of non-survivors tested positive for the bacterial infection using blood culture. The risk factors for mortality were diabetes mellitus, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, vaccination status, time from onset to admission, and older age. Conclusions: Critical patients with COVID-19 owing to the Delta variant in Vietnam had delayed hospital admission, leading to ARDS and death. Early availability of vaccines and preventing bacterial infections are crucial for reducing mortality of COVID-19, especially in low- and middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A selective and sensitive method using a high-performance liquid chromatography-UV detector (HPLC-UV) for the simultaneous determination of Patulin (PAT) and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (5-HMF) in honey and apple juice was developed. The sample preparation technique QuEChERS was applied to increase the sensitivity and selectivity. The linear ranges for PAT and 5-HMF detected by the method were 2.0 ppb ÷ 200.0 ppb and 2.0 ppm ÷ 20 ppm. The results of method validation show that the recovery efficiency for PAT ranged from 92.8% ÷ 98.2% with % RSDr from 0.56% ÷ 0.63% and from 97.9% ÷ 101.2% with %RSD 0.39% ÷ 0.67% for 5-HMF and LOD and LOQ values of the method for PAT and 5-HMF detection were respectively: 0.6 and 2.0 ppb; 0.6 and 2.0 ppm. The influence of the matrix effect on the accuracy, repeatability, and recovery of the method was insignificant. The proposed method was applied to quantify the content of PAT, and 5-HMF in actual samples, collected in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The result showed that PAT was not found in honey samples but was detected in 5 of 10 apple juice samples. In addition, 5-HMF was detected in 3 of 10 honey samples and 10 of 10 apple juice samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Scholarly Project provides medical students with an opportunity to conduct research on a health and health care topic of interest with faculty mentors. Despite the proven benefits of the Scholarly Project there has only been a gradual change to undergraduate medical education in Vietnam. In the academic year of 2020-2021, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP) at Ho Chi Minh City launched the Scholarly Project as part of an innovative educational program. This study investigated the impact of the Scholarly Project on the research skills perception of participating undergraduate medical students. Methods: A questionnaire evaluating the perception of fourteen research skills was given to participants in the first week, at midterm, and after finishing the Scholarly Project; students assessed their level on each skill using a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (lowest score) to 5 (highest score). Results: There were statistically significant increases in scores for 11 skills after participation in the Scholarly Project. Of the remaining three skills, ‘Understanding the importance of “controls”’ and ‘Interpreting data’ skills showed a trend towards improvement while the ‘Statistically analyse data’ skill showed a downward trend. Conclusion: The Scholarly Project had a positive impact on each student’s perception of most research skills and should be integrated into the revamped undergraduate medical education program at UMP, with detailed instruction on targeted skills for choosing the optimal study design and follow-up assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The bridge structures must work under random and complex excitation conditions. The vibration response of these structures includes two main components as a determining component and a stochastic component. Thus, using vibration data, the structural health monitoring (SHM) process for these structures requires eliminating random parts impact. The random decrement (RD) signature, a known technique to serve this requirement, is applied to analyze the bridge's vibrations under the ambient load (random excitation) in this study. The nonlinear viscoelastic model is used to evaluate the energy dissipation of material. Then, a new damage index, called the loss factor function (LF), determined from the power spectral density (PSD) of vibration modes, is used to assess material deterioration. In fact, only some vibration modes of structures that occur with large amplitude are considered to be determined. Therefore, the article evaluates some of the first vibration modes' energy dissipation to monitor the change of material's mechanical properties. The vibration of the Saigon bridge under actual traffic loadings over 9 years is used as an illustrative example. One single beam with the same modes of the bridge span is modeled and used to extract numerical data to train convolutional neural network (CNN). CNN is widely known at the current time with outstanding capabilities in the typical image classification. The distribution of these LF values is overall evaluated by using a featured image built from their contour plot images. With the supervised learning algorithm, the proposed network is trained to assess the deterioration level of materials. The output is the label corresponding to the deterioration level, and the inputs are featured images about energy dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning with classical theories on finance, such as the capital structure theory, the trade-off theory of capital structure, and the pecking order theory, the literature shows a negative correlation between tax avoidance and institutional ownership with respect to the business cost of debt. However, the impact of tax avoidance and institutional ownership on corporate debt policy in Vietnam is an under-researched topic. The aim of the study is to identify the effect of those mentioned factors on business borrowing policy, using data on 207 companies listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) in Vietnam from 2008 to 2016. The study employs model proposed by Lim in 2009 to achieve mentioned research object with Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) method to overcome for any defection. The study results show no conclusive empirical evidence of a relationship between business's cost of debt and tax avoidance and institutional ownership. This result contrasts with the conclusion in previous studies and can be explained by the characteristics of the funding market in Vietnam where financial organizations often focus on business results and management efficiency in making lending decisions and this characteristic is at no sign of change soon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We conducted a framed field experiment to explore a situation where individuals have potentially competing social identities to understand how group identification and socialisation affect in-group favouritism and out-group discrimination. The Dictator Game and the Trust Game were conducted in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City on two groups of high school students with different backgrounds, i.e., French bilingual and monolingual (Vietnamese) students. We find strong evidence for the presence of these two phenomena: our micro-analysis of within- and between-school effects show that bilingual students exhibit higher discriminatory behaviour toward non-bilinguals within the same school than toward other bilinguals from a different school, implying that group identity is a key factor in the explanation of intergroup cooperation and competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: X‐linked hyper‐IgM syndrome (XHIGM) is a rare primary immunodeficiency caused by CD40 ligand defects. Methods: We identified three patients with XHIGM in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Whole‐exome sequencing, immunological analyses and western blot were performed to investigate phenotypic and genotypic features. Results: Despite showing symptoms typical of XHIGM, including recurrent sinopulmonary infections, oral ulcers and otitis media, the diagnosis was significantly delayed. One patient developed anti‐phospholipid syndrome, which has been documented for the first time in XHIGM syndrome. Two patients had elevated IgM levels and all of them had low IgG levels. Exome sequencing revealed mutations in the CD40LG gene: one novel splicing mutation c.156+2T>A and two previously characterised mutations (non‐frameshift deletion c.436_438delTAC, stop‐gain c.654C>A). Due to these mutations, the CD40 ligand was not expressed in any of the three patients, as demonstrated by western blot analysis. Conclusion: This is the first report of XHIGM syndrome in Vietnam indicates that an effective diagnostic strategy, such as sequencing analysis, contributes to reliable diagnosis and subsequent therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection has increased substantially worldwide, primarily in couples with non-male factor infertility. However, there is a paucity of evidence from randomised trials supporting this approach compared with conventional in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). We aimed to investigate whether intracytoplasmic sperm injection would result in a higher livebirth rate compared with conventional IVF.Methods: This open-label, multicentre, randomised trial was done at two IVF centres in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (IVFMD, My Duc Hospital and IVFAS, An Sinh Hospital). Eligible couples were aged at least 18 years and the male partner's sperm count and motility (progressive motility) were normal based on WHO 2010 criteria. Couples had to have undergone two or fewer previous conventional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection attempts, have used an antagonist protocol for ovarian stimulation, and agree to have two or fewer embryos transferred. Couples were randomly assigned (1:1) to undergo either intracytoplasmic sperm injection or conventional IVF, using block randomisation with variable block size of 2, 4, or 8 and a telephone-based central randomisation method. The computer-generated randomisation list was prepared by an independent statistician who had no other involvement in the study. Embryologists and couples were not masked to study groups because of the type of interventions and differences in hospital fees, but clinicians performing embryo transfer were unaware of study group allocation. The primary outcome was livebirth after the first embryo transfer from the initiated cycle. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03428919.Findings: Between March 16, 2018, and Aug 12, 2019, we randomly assigned 1064 couples to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (n=532) or conventional IVF (n=532). Livebirth after the first embryo transfer from the initiated cycle occurred in 184 (35%) of 532 couples randomly assigned to intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in 166 (31%) of 532 couples randomly assigned to conventional IVF (absolute difference 3·4%, 95% CI -2·4 to 9·2; risk ratio [RR] 1·11, 95% CI 0·93 to 1·32; p=0·27). 29 (5%) couples in the intracytoplasmic sperm injection group and 34 (6%) couples in the conventional IVF group had fertilisation failure (absolute difference -0·9%, -4·0 to 2·1, RR 0·85, 95% CI 0·53 to 1·38; p=0·60).Interpretation: In couples with infertility in whom the male partner has a normal total sperm count and motility, intracytoplasmic sperm injection did not improve the livebirth rate compared with conventional IVF. Our results challenge the value of the routine use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in assisted reproduction techniques for this population.Funding: My Duc Hospital and Merck Sharp and Dohme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the impacts of TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) from fertilizers on soil and vegetables were estimated. We investigated both the activity concentration of the natural radionuclides and the annual effective dose rate due to the ingestion of vegetables in the crops using fertilizers at the agricultural zone of Hoc Mon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The results show that there have not yet been signs of radioactive residues from using conventional fertilizers in agricultural land after a crop at the surveyed area and time. The radiological impact of surveyed vegetables was negligible to the public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SME sector has a large representation within Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)-Vietnam and it provides a significant contribution in supporting the socio-economic benefits. SMEs in the manufacturing sector within HCMC that participate in the global markets, should embrace and adopt enhanced performance to maximize the overall benefits and outcomes. This will promote the efficient management of the enterprises' overall internal resources in providing competitive equality with global corporations. Therefore, this empirical study analyses and reviews the management process that has adopted the mediating role of the budget process on the SMEs' performance. Based on the review of theories and related studies, it is evidenced that, the management process has incorporated the core-factors namely; business planning, organizational commitment, strategy implementation, managerial control with mediating role of the budget process; these applied core-factors contribute significantly in supporting the SMEs performance within the manufacturing sector of HCMC. Additionally, the outcomes of this empirical study will provide the key-procedures for SMEs such as; high-value knowledge and concepts to restructure their overall management, to gain growth in performance, improve their management capacity, develop their enterprises' sustainability into the new era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the effects of long-term androgen priming in Bologna criteria poor ovarian reserve (POR) patients undergoing IVF? This open-label pilot study was conducted at IVFMD, My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It included consecutive patients aged 18–41 years who fulfilled Bologna criteria for POR undergoing intra-ovarian androgen priming and ultra-long down-regulation with a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), followed by stimulation with gonadotrophins and GnRH antagonist co-treatment for IVF (n = 30). Priming consisted of low-dose recombinant human chorionic gonadotrophin (rHCG) 260 IU every second day plus letrozole 2.5 mg/day, both for 8 weeks; priming stopped on the first day of ovarian stimulation. The primary endpoint was serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration 8 weeks after priming. Secondary endpoints included antral follicle count (AFC) (2–10 mm), serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), testosterone and progesterone levels. Circulating testosterone, progesterone, oestradiol and HCG levels remained unchanged during androgen priming; the mean AMH level decreased steadily from 0.49 ng/ml (baseline) to 0.33 ng/ml (8 weeks). AFC was 4–5 throughout the study. A mean of 1.1 ± 0.9 good transferable embryos were obtained; embryo transfer was performed in 15 patients; no ongoing pregnancies were obtained. Long-term intra-ovarian androgen priming in the current set-up had no significant effect on hormone levels, AFC and recruitable follicles after ovarian stimulation in Bologna POR patients undergoing IVF. Further studies are needed to explore other androgen priming protocols and the clinical value of priming regimens in IVF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: What is the early luteal phase hormonal profile in patients undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI followed by hCG trigger and a freeze-all strategy without luteal phase support?Summary Answer: The peak concentration of progesterone occurred 4 days after oocyte pick-up (OPU + 4), with an average 35% fall from OPU + 4 to OPU + 6, and progesterone levels before and 12 h after hCG administration predicted levels during the early luteal phase.What Is Known Already: The luteal phase during IVF differs from that during normal cycles, particularly with respect to the serum progesterone level profile. This can cause asynchrony between the embryo and the endometrium, potentially resulting in implantation failure and poor reproductive outcomes.Study Design, Size, Duration: This prospective study included 161 women with normal ovarian reserve receiving GnRH antagonist co-treatment during ovarian stimulation with FSH who were followed up to 6 days after OPU in a single IVF cycle.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Women aged 18-42 years undergoing IVF with ovarian stimulation using FSH were included. Ovulation was triggered with recombinant hCG 250 μg. Hormone levels were determined from blood samples taken on the day of trigger, before hCG, at 12, 24 and 36 h after hCG and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days after OPU. The primary endpoint was early luteal phase serum concentrations of progesterone, LH, estradiol and hCG.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: One outlier with a pre-hCG serum progesterone level of 11.42 ng/mL was excluded, so all analyses included 160 subjects. Progesterone levels began to increase 1 day after OPU, peaked 4 days after OPU (114 ng/mL), then declined from OPU + 5 onwards. Peak progesterone levels were at OPU + 4, OPU + 5 or OPU + 6 in 38.8, 29.4 and 13.8% of patients, respectively. Approximately two-thirds of patients had a fall in serum progesterone from OPU + 4 to OPU + 6. Pre-hCG progesterone levels correlated significantly with those at 24 h after hCG (r2 = 0.28; P < 0.001), which in turn correlated significantly with progesterone at OPU + 4 (r2 = 0.32; P < 0.001). LH peaked (4.4 IU/L) 12 h after hCG trigger, persisting for 24 h but was barely elevated compared with physiological levels. Serum estradiol peaked twice: at 24 h post-trigger and at OPU + 4. Highest hCG levels (130 mIU/mL) occurred at 24 h post-injection. The best correlations between the number of follicles ≥11 mm and serum progesterone level were seen at 24 and 36 h after hCG and OPU + 1.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: The influence of different profiles of serum progesterone on reproductive outcomes could not be determined because a freeze-all strategy was used in all patients. In addition, data were not available to relate serum hormone level findings with endometrial histology or endometrial receptivity analysis to clearly identify the relationship between serum hormones and the window of implantation.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Detailed information about early luteal phase hormone levels could be used to optimize and individualize luteal phase support to improve reproductive outcomes.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This study was funded by My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. All authors state that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.Trial Registration Number: NCT02798146; NCT03174691. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employees' satisfaction at work plays an essential role in enterprises performing effectively and sustainably developing. Encouraging and creating a professional work environment for employees to have favorable working conditions are necessary for helping them prove their abilities. Therefore, this paper analyses the leadership styles (LS) and the mediating role of quality of work-life (QWL) towards employee job performance (EJP). The researcher collected 401 samples in Ho Chi Minh City to analyze and verify the research model. From the findings, it is evident that there is a significant relationship between the LS and the mediating role of QWL towards EJP. Based on the results of the empirical study, the researcher recommends that administrators and scholars refer to and study this result in planning the managerial policies in human resources to help employees feel satisfied with their jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of chaotic changes and competition among enterprises have become increasingly severe, enterprises need to have a good workforce, which is considered as a positive factor to foster success in enterprises. Leadership style becomes so important to cultivate their talents and assist in developing enterprises, not only for big enterprises but also for SMEs. In this paper, the researcher studied the relationship between Transformational Leadership Style (TLS) and Employee Job Satisfaction (EJS). The quantitative approach is used to apply in this study. The data samples assessed were 263 SMEs located in HCMC. It was concluded that TLS affected positively to EJS. Through this paper, management of the SMEs can drawdown to enhance their leadership skills as well as their employees’ satisfaction towards the performance of the SME’s in the era of international integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization has a great impact on the local climate of a city, thereby triggering the urban heat island (UHI) effect and affecting the quality of human life. Information on past and present changes of urban landscapes and temperature could be of interest to urban planners in an attempt to shape the urban planning process and mitigate effects of UHI. This study aimed to develop an approach for assessing the urbanization and UHI effects in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam using Landsat data during the periods 1996–2007–2016. The data were processed through four main steps: (1) data pre-processing, (2) impervious surface (IS) extraction, (3) land surface temperature (LST) retrieval, and (4) accuracy assessment. The results of IS extraction compared with the ground reference data indicated the overall accuracies and Kappa coefficients generally higher than 86.1% and 0.72, in all cases. During 1996–2016, the city was drastically urbanized into multiple directions, with the IS area increasing from 10,488.5 ha (1996) to 27,142.7 ha (2016). The results of retrieved LST revealed the radiant temperature for 1996 ranging from 22.4–35.8 °C, while that for 2016 remarkably higher from 25.3–40.4 °C. The relationship between LST and a newly developed normalized difference composite index (NDCI) was also examined to investigate the genesis of temperature due to decadal urbanization, indicating a strong correlation with the correlation coefficients ( r ) of higher than 0.71 ( p -value < 0.001), in all cases. To further understand UHI impacts due to the urbanization, the proportion of IS and averaged LST over IS areas for each district was calculated. The results showed that only few central districts located in the city higher than 30 °C in 1996, while most of districts were heavily influenced by urban surface structures with the LST higher than 31 °C in 2007 and 32 °C in 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the etiology and treatment modalities and to determine mortality risks in hospitalized children with chronic renal failure (CRF) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We reviewed the records of 310 children with CRF hospitalized in Ho Chi Minh City from January 2001 to December 2005. The average annual number cases was 4.8 per million child population native to Ho Chi Minh City. Median age was 14 years; 85% of patients were in end-stage renal failure. Associated illnesses were anemia (96%), hypertension (74%), and cardiopulmonary diseases (39%). Causes of CRF included glomerulonephritis (30%) and congenital/hereditary anomalies (20%), but in 50% of children, the etiology was unavailable. Seventy-three percent of cases with end-stage renal failure did not benefit from renal replacement therapy. During hospitalization, 47 patients (15%) died. Mortality risks were higher in young children (1–4 years), in boys, and in patients with acquired pathologies. Severe metabolic acidosis was the main predictive factor of mortality by multivariate regression analysis. Our data shows a poor outcome due to late referral and limited facilities for renal replacement therapy in children with CRF hospitalized in Ho Chi Minh City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is becoming a gold standard and provides many advantages for patients. A learning curve is required for a surgeon to become proficient, and the exact number to overcome this curve is controversial. Our study aimed to define this number for mitral valve surgery in general, for replacement and repair separately.Methods: A total of 204 mitral valve surgeries were performed via the right minithoracotomy approach from October 2014 to January 2019 by a single surgeon who isexperienced in conventional mitral valve surgery. Learning curves were analysed based on the trend of important variables (cross-clamp time, CPB time, ventilation time, ICU time, composite technical failure) over time, and the number of operations required was calculated by CUSUM method.Results: MIMVS provided an excellent outcome in the carefully selected patients, with low mortality of 0.5% and low rate of complications. The decreasing trend of the important variables were observed over the years and as the cumulative number of procedures increased. The number of operations required to overcome the learning curve was 75 to 100 cases. When considered separately, the quantity for mitral valve replacement was 60 cases, whereas valve repair necessitated at least 90 cases to have an acceptable technical complication rate.Conclusion: MIMVS is an excellent choice for mitral valve surgery. However, this approach required a long learning curve for a surgeon who is experienced in conventional mitral valve surgery.Trial Registration: The research was registered and approved by the ethical board of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, number 141/DHYD-HDDD, on April 11th 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine and assess airborne microbial characteristics (bacteria and fungi) in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam, from 2014 to 2016, as well as identify seasonal variation trends. Airborne samples were collected passively and actively from four different environmental sites: the zoo, road, rural, and urban areas. The major bacterial genera identified were Bacillus siamensis , Staphylococcus aureus , Micrococcus varians , and Enterobacteriaceae. Some airborne fungi (Aspergillus sp., Penicillium janthinellum , and Fusarium solani) were found during the wet and dry seasons. In rural and residential areas, airborne bacterial and fungal bioaerosol levels were higher during weekends than weekdays. A linear model illustrated the significant effect of the environmental factors CO 2 level, temperature (TEMP), and relative humidity (RH) on both bacterial and fungal counts. There was a positive relationship between microbial sampling types especially between microbial concentration and CO 2 level and TEMP (p < 0.05). The linear models explained a certain percent of the variation in bacterial and fungal concentration in terms of CO 2 , TEMP, and RH on the roadside (Dien Bien Phu – Dinh Tien Hoang intersection), the zoo (Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden), the residential area, and the rural area. These insights into bacteria and fungi levels can be used to aid future health studies, policy making, and urban planning in HCMC. • Airborne bacteria at four sites in Ho Chi Minh City were characterized. • The influence of environmental factors on airborne microorganisms was examined. • Four dominant bacterial genera were identified. • The predominant fungi were Aspergillus sp., P. janthinellum , and F. solani. • Bacterial and fungal concentrations were higher on weekdays than weekends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We evaluated the impact of the lockdown policy during the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular outpatients of a cardiology clinic in Vietnam from April to June 2020. We estimated the occurrence of different cardiovascular problems in general and the stability of blood pressure. Methodology: During the Covid-19 outbreak in Vietnam, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate its impact on blood pressure stability of hypertensive patients treated as outpatients at the clinic of the University Medical Center (UMC), Ho Chi Minh City. Results: The mean age of the recruited 493 patients was 62.2 ± 10.2 years. The stable blood pressure group consisted of 87% patients, while the unstable blood pressure group consisted of 13% patients. We found that 68% of the study population attended their follow-up appointments as scheduled: 87% with stable blood pressure versus only 13% with unstable blood pressure. Significant differences were noticed in body weight changes and cardiovascular problems between the two groups: body weight increase (22.6% vs. 10.2%), body weight decrease (3.2% vs. 6.7%), worsening of cardiovascular problems (35.5% vs. 17.9%) in the unstable and stable blood pressure groups, respectively. Multivariable regression analysis reflected the impact of the increase in body weight and occurrence of cardiovascular problems on the patients with unstable blood pressure. Conclusions: Our study provided concrete proof of the impact of the lockdown on chronic patients, which should warrant further surveys, and evaluation of the lockdown policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of frozen embryo transfer (FET) in in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) has increased. However, the best endometrial preparation protocol for FET cycles is unclear. We compared natural and modified natural cycle strategies with an artificial cycle strategy for endometrial preparation before FET. In this randomised, open-label study, we recruited ovulatory women aged 18–45 years at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, who were randomly allocated (1:1:1) to natural, modified natural, or artificial cycle endometrial preparation using a computer-generated random list and block randomisation. The trial was not masked due to the nature of the study interventions. In natural cycles, no oestrogen, progesterone, or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was used. In modified natural cycles, hCG was used to trigger ovulation. In artificial cycles, oral oestradiol valerate (8 mg/day from day 2–4 of menstruation) and vaginal progesterone (800 mg/day starting when endometrial thickness was ≥7 mm) were used. Embryos were vitrified, and then one or two day-3 embryos or one day-5 embryo were warmed and transferred under ultrasound guidance. If the first FET cycle was cancelled, subsequent cycles were performed with artificial endometrial preparation. The primary endpoint was livebirth after one FET. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04804020. Between March 22, 2021, and March 14, 2023, 4779 women were screened and 1428 were randomly assigned (476 to each group). 99 first FET cycles were cancelled in each of the natural and modified cycle groups, versus none in the artificial cycle group. The livebirth rate after one FET was 174 (37%) of 476 in the natural cycle strategy group, 159 (33%) of 476 in the modified natural cycle strategy group, and 162 (34%) of 476 in the artificial cycle strategy group (relative risk 1·07 [95% CI 0·87–1·33] for natural vs artificial cycle strategy, and 0·98 [0·79–1·22] for modified natural vs artificial cycle strategy). Maternal and neonatal outcomes did not differ significantly between groups, as the power to detect small differences was low. Although the livebirth rate was similar after natural, modified natural, and artificial cycle endometrial preparation strategies in ovulatory women undergoing FET IVF, no definitive conclusions can be made regarding the comparative safety of the three approaches. None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do costs and effects of in-vitro maturation (IVM) compare to IVF in women with a high antral follicle count (AFC)? This cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) was based on data of a previous retrospective cohort study at IVFMD, My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Between July 2015 and December 2017, 608 women underwent IVM and 311 women IVF. The effectiveness measure for the CEA was cumulative live birth rate (LBR) after one completed cycle including subsequent cryo-cycles within 12 months of inclusion. Data were collected on resource use related to treatment, medication and pregnancy from the case report forms. The mean costs and effects, average cost differences and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were calculated using non-parametric bootstrap resampling to assess the effect of uncertainty in the estimates. Cumulative LBR after one completed cycle were 239/608 (39.3%) in the IVM group versus 155/311 (49.8%) in the IVF group (adjusted odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30–0.89). Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) did not occur in the IVM group versus 11/311 (3.5%) in the IVF group. The mean costs per couple were €4300 (95% CI €1371–18,798) for IVM and €6493 (95% CI €2204–20,136) for IVF. The ICER per additional live birth with IVF was €20,144 (95% CI €9116–50,418). Results were robust over a wide range of assumptions. IVM is less expensive than IVF in women with a high AFC undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technology, while leading to a slightly lower effectiveness in terms of cumulative LBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of blood exchange transfusion to treat acute liver failure following hepatitis B infection at the Infectious Disease Department of Children's Hospital No.2 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A 3.5-month old baby boy was admitted to the hospital with a presentation of progressively worsening jaundice for the past one month. The patient was diagnosed with hepatitis B infection with a positive HBV DNA quantitative assay. Plasma exchange was indicated in view of progressive liver failure and gradually increasing hepatic coma. However, it was impossible to perform plasmapheresis in this case because the patient was small (in terms of age and weight) and there was no suitable plasma exchange filter. Accordingly, the patient was treated with 3 times of blood exchange transfusion in combination with an antiviral drug, lamivudine. After each blood exchange transfusion, the biochemical values (bilirubin, liver enzymes, and coagulation profile) gradually improved and he was discharged after 1 month of treatment. Blood exchange transfusion is an effective procedure for managing acute liver failure, where plasma exchange is not possible while waiting for the recovery of liver functions or liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]